


An Unwelcome Reunion

by MintHearted



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Also this is a more Yuuri comforting Viktor story, Anxiety, Depression, M/M, More tags to be added later if more things come about!, Potential violence in later chapters, So that will be present in the upcoming chapters!, Strong Language, The story mainly follows Viktor's POV but it's written in third person, Viktor spelled with a k, cause I live for that and there is never enough of it, homophobia in later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-06-19
Packaged: 2018-09-19 16:07:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9449480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MintHearted/pseuds/MintHearted
Summary: It's been a few months that Viktor and Yuuri have begun their training for the upcoming skating season in Russia. All seems to be going well up until the arrival of Viktor's parents. Knowing that they won't accept his relationship and that they have decided to stay for awhile without taking no for an answer sends Viktor spiraling down with worry. The need to protect Yuuri from their hurtful comments and judgement becomes a lot to bear leaving a heavy weight on his shoulders. This leaves the question of what his parents will think about their upcoming marriage and how it will all be handled.





	1. Vdokhnoveniye (Inspiration)

**Author's Note:**

> Sadly I do not have an editor to help me with this, but I do try to revise and edit before posting though there is still a chance that I may have missed something. So if you see any mistakes just let me know!
> 
> **IMPORTANT** Also since I don't know Russian (or other languages for that matter for the most part) and don't want to butcher sentences/confuse people all conversations will be between these {} if they take place within another language. I may use short phrases in the exact language, but it'll be a very rare occurrence.
> 
> Other than that I hope you all enjoy the story! This has been stuck in my mind and went through several revisions in the past week or two. I'll try to post the upcoming chapters as quick as possible, but for now here's chapter one!

“{Vitya! Get your damn head out of the clouds! You’re up next!}” Yakov shouted from his position next to the stereo system.

All the way out across the ice on the far end of the rink, Viktor skated numbly to the songs playing in his head. The genre switching from classical to pop and then back again had him performing off on his own in a random manner. There was no planned out path or an idea in mind for what would come next as it all came with whatever his body had felt. He was one with the music and it took several shouts from his coach to break that concentration. Once he had gotten through to the champion skater, Viktor’s cerulean hues had glanced over to the elder male as a light chuckle rumbled in his chest at the sight. It wasn’t that Yakov’s expression was funny but rather that it looked like an artery would burst in his neck with how they bulged. Even his face seemed to take on a shade of fiery red as his hands curled right up into fists.

“{Okay, no need to get all worked up over it. I’m ready.}” Of course this didn’t lessen the tension in Yakov’s features, but there was a bit of relief towards Viktor finally paying attention.

Golden skates had guided the silver haired male to the middle of the ice with ease. The theme for his free skate program this year would be “Life Eternal”. For one to be reborn just like he had after meeting Yuuri. His passion for the ice had returned with the Japanese male’s presence within his life which had given himself his own sense of rebirth. The old Viktor Nikiforov still lived on but he was filled with a new sense of life. One that could flow freely within every fiber of his being as he skated and one dedicated to the love of his life with whatever the future had in store for them.

Planting the toe pick of his right skate into the ice behind his left, his hands covered the front of his face like a set of doors and then the music started. Slowly he pulled his hands apart revealing himself once again only to push his arms out ahead of himself and out to the sides as if gliding through the invisible entrance as he guided himself forward to start off his program. This year he had planned to do six jumps spread throughout the first and second half of his performance with them getting harder as time would go on. He knew that this could be pushing his limits but part of him felt that he had to prove to himself that he could do this. His body wouldn’t let him pull such stunts for much longer as he was getting to old for this sort of thing despite him only being just short of the age of thirty. In many movements the feeling of joints, tissue, and bone rubbing against one another was uncomfortable, and even in some of his landings there were times where his knees would buckle out from under him as they braced his body for the impact. Thankfully he was usually able to remain standing especially if he were to ice them and relax immediately afterwards, but he knew that one day such things wouldn’t do the trick.

Regardless of that matter he was going to focus on what he could still do now as he gracefully glided along the ice to a piece of music that only became faster and stronger as it grew closer to the end. Viktor wanted to show that pace within his program and with that in mind he skated his heart out. His feet moved with every beat as he told the story of his rebirth from before Yuuri showed up, to meeting the man, then coaching him, falling in love, their promise to marry one another, and Yuuri moving in with him in Russia. The mere thought of this story caused his heart to swell as his fiancé’s face flashed through his mind like a slideshow, but instead of missing any beats in his routine it only empowered him. Yuuri was truly the source of his life and love now, and that would never change.

Now his program had come to its end with his famous quadruple flip leading right into his last sit spin which was followed by his ending pose: his right hand resting over his heart with the ring pressed right above it, his gaze raised up at the sky, and his hand outstretched towards the ceiling.

The whole rink burst into applause from the Russian team as they always did with one another. Some were rather slow and others were fast, but they were supportive nonetheless and that’s what mattered the most. With a smile breaking out across Viktor’s face as his chest heaved for air, he cast his attention over towards the rest of his team as the clapping died down. Yakov’s arms were crossed over his chest and that same stale expression that he always wore rested on his aging features. The man’s face was always unreadable, but as he gave a nod of his head and a slight grin of approval appeared Viktor couldn’t help the little twirl of excitement that he did on the ice with his hands victoriously being thrown up into the air. Yakov was proud of the piece that Viktor had choreographed, not that it was an unusual thing but this performance was the twenty-eight year olds favorite one yet and he couldn’t be happier since the man liked it. It conveyed all of his emotions perfectly and it was dedicated whole-heartedly to Yuuri.

“{This is going to be my best program yet!}” Viktor cheered as he quickly made his way over towards the edge of the rink where Yakov stood. There was no hesitation as he wrapped his coach up into a hug before planting a firm kiss onto the elder man’s cheek causing giggles and disturbed gasps from his teammates. Before the coach could even register what in the hell had just happened, Viktor was off skating towards the exit where he caught the wall and slipped on his skate guards to step back onto the carpet.

Making his way back into the locker rooms, he took a seat beside his bag on the wooden bench as he pulled his phone free from the luggage. Checking his notifications he saw that Chris had tagged him in something on Instagram causing him to open it immediately only for the Russian to let out a laugh. Of course Chris would tag him onto a picture of him doing a sexual yoga challenge with his partner and formally requesting that he and Yuuri do the same.

“Even if we tried we’d never be as good as you two!” Viktor commented onto the photo before opening up the camera on the app. He aimed the camera down so his feet that were still encased within the skates were in frame before snapping a picture. Flipping the image around in the editor he decided against adding a filter so he could move right onto writing the caption: “So tired, but so excited for you all to see what I’ve got lined up for this years GPF! #myfeetreallyhurt #wheresmykatsudonwhenIneedhim”

Submitting his post, he set his phone back down onto the bench beside him so he could unlace his skates. Being able to pull them off was such a relief and even his socks had followed suit to check the condition of his feet. He wasn’t surprised to find them red and even a bit bruised from how hard the skin rubbed against the sides of the skates, but it never once changed his attitude as he slipped his skates back into the bag.

“You’re not as great as you think you are.” The unimpressed voice of Yuri Plisetsky broke through the silence that lingered within the room causing Viktor’s focus to be pulled up towards the younger male. Since last years Grand Prix Final, Yuri had been growing out his hair. The golden locks now touched a little bit lower than his shoulders when it wasn’t pulled back into a tight ponytail. He had even grown a couple of inches since then, but it still didn’t make much of a difference in comparison to how tall Viktor stood. Yuri had even become friendly with Yuuri, and it brought a sense of joy to Viktor’s heart at that. They could actually get along and it was a big relief as it released the tension that used to be there, and yet the blond was still as overconfident as ever. “I’m going to beat you this season, make it to the Worlds, and head off to the Olympics next year. Your time as the reigning champion is over.”

At first all Viktor could do was stare at him with his eyes blinking, but then after a few moments passed a challenging grin had placed itself over his features. Rising back up onto his sore feet, he made his way over to the other before bending down just enough to be eye level with him. There was no denying that it hurt the older skater a bit at the knowledge that his records were broken, but he was still certain that his abilities hadn’t lessened in his time off. If anything he felt stronger because of Yuuri and he was ready to take the Russian Fairy on with this challenge. After all, it would push them both to work their hardest and with Yuuri in the mix it would only grow. “I won’t be going easy on you. So you better give it your all.”

“Pssh, if anything it will be me who won’t be going so easy on you.” Yuri spat back, though there was a flicker of fire igniting within his emerald eyes. It was easy to tell that he was up for just as much of a challenge as Viktor was and that this was all in good fun despite the determination and the will to fight for a spot in the finals.

“We’ll see.” Viktor pressed as he turned back around towards his bag to slip into his loafers. “But for now I got to go back home to take care of Yuuri.”

“Why? What happened with him now?” Yuri questioned as his arms folded securely over his chest and his back rested against the doorframe.

“He came down with something in the middle of the night. We think he might’ve caught something the other day, so I’m going to go grab him some soup and a warm drink.” Stuffing his belongings back into his bag, he zipped it up and grabbed hold of his team jacket to pull on. “Maybe we’ll try to find some movies to watch and he can nap as well if he hasn’t already.”

“You sound like such a mom.” Yuri teased with a roll of his eyes.

“I can take care of you too!” Viktor retorted in a sing-song tone as he slung the bag over his shoulder.

“Not a chance, geezer.” With a scoff, Yuri was out the door and heading back to the rink leaving Viktor to let out another laugh. The younger’s insults weren’t something to be offended by as he was always like a bottle rocket. He was ready to go off at any moment with the tiniest of sparks and once the string was lit he was off without even watching his words or minding his manners. Lilia would scold him for such language, but Viktor was quite the opposite and found humor in it instead.

Picking his phone off of the seat to shove back into his pocket, he was heading out of the ice skating center and towards the direction of the city. With a bounce in his step and emitting a soft hum it felt like nothing in the world could bother him. He was perfectly content with life and with how everything seemed to be going ever since Yuuri had stepped right in. Even his performance was coming along putting out everything that Viktor had envisioned, but now his focus was on helping Yuuri get better. Thankfully it didn’t seem like his partner was too sick for the moment meaning they could continue on with soft kisses and could remain without having to see a doctor for antibiotics, but he still wanted Yuuri to feel better as soon as possible. Not to mention it took away from his practice time to be ill and Viktor also missed having him on the ice around him even though it had only been a day. Luckily he could be with Makkachin as he knew that his poodle enjoyed both of their company and hated being away from them, so it was a nice thought to know that they at least had each other to snuggle with throughout the day.

Reaching the closest restaurant, he had ordered both Yuuri and himself a bit of hot pot as well as some warm tea to go. He knew that it would all probably be a bit cold by the time he would get back to his apartment but he figured it would still be edible after heating it up in the microwave. Sitting on one of the seats as he waited he found himself playing around with his phone to check all of his social media pages. His latest Instagram post had already broken a couple thousands of likes and Chris had even responded back to Viktor’s comment.

“Judging from Yuuri’s talents I’d imagine it’d be quite hot.” Chris had commented back with several fire emoji’s following the text causing heat to rise into the Russian’s cheeks. The imagery of it all was steamy indeed, but he decided not to dwell on the idea of it for to long as he was in a public place and the last thing he needed was to be in a dazed state when the waitress would return. So he instead moved over to check his more personal profiles on his other apps as a distraction, and within minutes the waitress had returned with a smile on her face.

Getting up from his seat, he pulled out a bit of money from his pocket to place into the woman’s hand. A friendly smile had graced his features as he took the bag and cups, thanked her, and then exited the building to head back home.

In the small amount of time that he had spent in the restaurant the air had taken on a colder chill with the sun setting within the sky. The wind nipped at the exposed skin of Viktor’s face causing his cheeks, nose, and ears to turn a slight shade of red as a result. Thankfully his apartment was only a few blocks away, but as the sun continued to descend in the sky only to take the light and warmth away with it the more prominent the cold became. Those that pushed passed him were wrapping themselves up tightly within their coats and blowing on their hands as they rubbed them together for warmth. With food in his hands that wasn’t an option for him, but he didn’t mind to much as the apartment complex came into view. It stood several stories high with various lights from different apartments flicking on as the darkness filtered in through the windows.

Bringing himself inside, he headed right over towards the stairs. As much as the elevator would’ve been an easier trip Viktor always made it a priority to take the stairs as it only added to his daily exercise. It didn’t even take that long as he made his way up several flights of stairs before reaching his floor. Pushing the door open that sectioned off the stairwell from the hall, he made his way down towards his apartment. His right hand now balanced both the meals and the drinks as the left fished the keys out from his pocket. Reaching the door he shoved the key right into the lock to give it a good twist before pulling the keys free and turning the knob to open the door.

“Honey I’m home!” Viktor greeted teasingly with a large smile painted across his face, but at the sight of two new figures standing in his apartment with Yuuri sitting nervously on the couch and Makkachin cuddled into his side caused the expression on his face to fall. The things that he carried had even threatened to slip from his grasp if he wasn’t careful. His heart automatically skipped a beat only for it to quicken with his breath slowly following suit as before him stood the two familiar frames of his parents. “What are you doing here?”


	2. осложнение (Complication)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this took me so long to update! I was just having issues with my motivation and I was also having major writers block with this chapter so I would keep picking it up and then stopping, and I did that a few times actually. Like I knew where I kinda wanted to go but it was the putting it into proper words that was hard. Either way it's finally done and hopefully I can get the next chapter out a lot quicker! I'd also like to start an AU or something as well for YOI so hopefully I can get working on that soon! That's another topic for later though, so for now I hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for all the positive feedback on the first chapter! You guys are amazing!
> 
> **Also remember that if a character speaks in another language that isn't English it'll be in brackets like {this}!**

“{Viktor, Russian.}” His mother commanded without a moment of hesitation. Her slim brows pulled together as arms had folded themselves across her chest expectantly. After all of this time Viktor had become accustomed to speaking more English than any other language in his home so Yuuri could understand what was being said, but this wasn’t the case with his parents. They didn’t know much of the English language making their knowledge on it very fragmented as they could only pick out bits and pieces.

“{Why are you here?}” Viktor’s voice had lost that surprised edge as he slowly moved to place the food down onto the kitchen counter. His own silver brows narrowed as he felt the eyes of everyone on him. One set of those eyes was definitely Yuuri who he wanted to go over to immediately, but for the first time in forever he felt hesitant about doing so. Something about his parents burning their gaze right into him left him highly uncomfortable for a variety of reasons and he had no doubts that Yuuri could see that.

“{Can’t we come and visit our son every once in awhile?}” His father chimed in as hands planted themselves firmly onto his waist.

“Not when it’s been about ten years.” Viktor muttered under his breath once again in English before turning back to look at everyone. “{Is there something you need? I’m very busy today.}”

The silence now hung in the air for several moments, and in those few seconds Viktor could finally take a good look at his parents. They hadn’t changed much but their age was definitely showing. Both were close to the age of sixty and their looks reflected their age a little more than expected. His mother, Irina Nikiforov, was the one he took after looking like the most. Silver locks cascaded down passed her shoulders and right to her waist with several strands of brown mixed in. It was obvious just how her hair was also greying due to the faded chocolate colored strands, but it didn’t show much as it blended right in with the rest of the hair. Viktor’s eyes had even taken on a similar shade of blue, only his was more vibrant and would reflect green in some lights whereas hers would only turn out grey. Even their frames were slim, more athletic looking than his fathers. This then led into the differences between Viktor and his mom where her face was rounder and her lips were more pouted, but he always thought that her mouth was permanently set like that from how much she judged people.

His focus had then shifted to his father, Vitaly Nikiforov, who had a full head of blond, turning grey, head of hair. Eyes were a bit sunken in but very piercing nonetheless with their green iris’, and the way his jaw was set always looked prominent. Sometimes people would question how the two Nikiforov men were related if it weren’t for the similarities when it came to their noses and sometimes their smiles, but Viktor’s always looked brighter whereas his fathers was a bit goofier. Even their personalities were quite the opposite as Viktor could usually keep himself composed in situations whereas his father could not. The elder Russian could be quite loud at all times in everything that he did, but when he was angry that was something to be terrified off. Though when both Nikiforov men became excited they shared in being over the top when it came to expressing it.

{“We decided to come and stay for awhile. To catch up since it’s been so long.}” His father went on as he took a step closer to Viktor and a gentle smile crossed his features. Those green eyes all but scanning everything in the room, and had even glanced back to Yuuri on occasion before landing right onto his son once more as he continued his advance.

“Oh.” Now Viktor was chewing at the inside of his cheek as he did his best not to make eye contact with his father. Instead he kept his focus onto anything but the man standing before him as that was the last thing he wanted to do right now. “{Well we can catch up tomorrow then. As I’ve already said I’m very busy today with running back and forth, so we can meet up at one of the shops tomorrow if you want.}”

“{Well your father and I have decided to just stay here with you!}” The tone his mother used tried to sound cheery, but it sounded more pushy than anything and it had Viktor’s spine stiffening.

“{I-I don’t have that much room.}” Viktor stammered out after a few seconds. This was of course a lie as the figure skater owned one of the largest apartments within the building that consisted of a luxurious master bedroom with a spacey bathroom and walk-in closet that both Viktor and Yuuri shared, two moderately sized spare rooms, a guest bathroom, a living room, a kitchen, and another closet in the hall. Still, one of those extra rooms was turned into Viktor’s personal office/trophy room which homed a desk and various shelves lined with medals and trophies. The other room was used as a guest room that Chris had used more than anyone else when he came into the country for a visit. Most of the walls within the apartment were lined with various pictures from competitions, Makkachin, and little adventures that they had taken together, and a few of them had the couple kissing but out of compromise for Yuuri’s comfort those were only to be found in the master bedroom up until after the wedding.

{“Nonsense.}” The word was sudden which had startled Viktor out of his little trance. “{Your apartment seems to have the space and it’d be perfect to spend quality time with you again.}”

At this Viktor had to hold himself together. The usual composure that he held when angry or upset felt like it was beginning to crack and that was the last thing he wanted anyone to see. He didn’t want people to know just how badly his parents presence bothered him, so instead he forced on a smile that twitched in the corners as he began to walk towards the hall. As much as he didn’t want them there he didn’t want to argue with them in front of Yuuri. It would only give his love unnecessary stress on top of the illness he was already suffering with and he didn’t want the other’s anxiety to spike either. Despite this his voice threatened to betray the fake happiness that he tried to put on. “{Follow me, then.}”

Through the whole exchange Yuuri sat their in silence. Brown eyes had themselves widened at the strange way Viktor had been acting. Of course he had been nervous upon opening the door when Mr. and Mrs. Nikiforov had first arrived as he wasn’t sure what to do. At the time he couldn’t have called Viktor as he was probably on the ice and away from his phone and it wasn’t like he wanted him to worry about something that could’ve been handled, but with seeing the state that his fiancé was in now had him regretting that choice. Watching them all disappear into the hall, and no doubt going towards the guest room, Yuuri clung to Makkachin. The poodle had even seemed to be a bit on edge as he most likely fed off of the energy within the room, and in particular Viktor’s.

“{I didn’t know that you had company over while you aren’t home.}” His father spoke up upon entering the room. In comparison to the rest of the home the guest bedroom was the most plain spot of them all. The bed was a queen size covered by softly shaded blue sheets with golden seems and trimming to fit the rest of his furniture. The bedside table was also a subtle off-white with a fake plant and lamp sitting on top. Every wall adorned at least one photo of Makkachin and on the wall that faced the bed was a averaged sized flatscreen. There was even another small closet and tucked into the corner of the room sat a love-seat to match the bed and table. Chris had described the room as very welcoming and had wasted no time in throwing himself down onto the fluffy mattress, but Viktor’s parents were different. They didn’t notice the care put into the room or the coziness of it. Instead they were to focused on Viktor’s “company” and it had the gold medalist shifting his weight.

“{Does it matter?}” Viktor knew where this was heading and he wanted to shut the topic down as quickly as possible. He knew, or at least had a pretty good idea, what his parents would go at only to make it into an issue which was something he didn’t want. They would surely catch on that Yuuri and himself were together and for the sake of keeping Yuuri safe he wasn’t going to let it get that far. He didn’t need his fiancé to become stressed over the opinions that didn’t matter. So he settled for avoiding it at every cost up until he felt that there’d be a better opportunity to tell them. Maybe once they saw how well he got along with Yuuri they’d be more accepting, but for now he wasn’t going to listen to their input on how to run his own life.

“{A little bit.}” Irina chimed in, but before she could say anymore Viktor was already off to opening the closet. It was pretty average but it was a better topic of conversation than the one his parents were about to start.

“{You can put your things here. The bathroom is at the far end of the hallway close to the window. Now if you’ll excuse me.}” Viktor began to walk out of the room before pausing in the doorway only to turn slightly to glance at the stern faces of his parents. “{Oh, and don’t go into the master bedroom. I’d like to keep that private.}”

Just as he was about to turn and leave, Vitaly spoke up once again. His voice was gruff and questioning. “{What about that boy…what’s his name? What are we going to be doing with him?}”

“{I’ll handle him.}” Viktor had to hold back himself from wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as he spoke. Of course Yuuri would stay in his bedroom and if there was an issue Viktor himself didn't mind migrating to the couch for the duration of his parents stay so long as it’d keep the Japanese male safe and comfortable. With that being said he finally exited the room only to shut the door behind him and make his way back over to Yuuri.

Viktor so desperately wanted his happy mood to return, so he began to skip back over towards his fiancé with a grin on his face and without any warning he fell right onto Yuuri’s lap while wrapping his arms around his neck. At first Yuuri sat there in surprise before lacing his own arms around the Russian and buried his head into Viktor’s neck. As much as Viktor didn’t want Yuuri to stress out he could already see the anxiety beginning to form. No doubt the unwelcome visitors that invited themselves to stay were the cause of it all and with Yuuri being sick he knew that it wouldn’t help. So Viktor planted a firm kiss to the younger’s forehead causing Yuuri to smile lightly against the elder’s coat that he still hadn’t shed upon arriving back at the apartment.

“I have a good idea!” With the same perky tone that he always used returning, Viktor snuggled up closer to Yuuri with a lightbulb practically flashing over his head. “Why don’t you and I go out later? Some fresh air will do you some good!”

“What about your parents?” Yuuri turned to cough into his elbow before receiving a reassuring pat on the head.

“What about them? They intruded so we have every right to go about our lives as normal.” Pressing a gentle kiss to the other’s nose he hopped back up onto his feet to go over towards the bags of food that he brought home. Pulling out the somewhat now cold meal he put some of it onto a plate before popping it into the microwave in an attempt to warm it up before going to bring some tea over to the couch. Handing Yuuri one of the cups with a smile he lightly skipped back into the kitchen to keep his good mood up only for it to be shattered by the sound of his parents in one of the other rooms.

He could tell they were in his office as he could hear the scuffing and clanging of medals as they hit the wall as well as each other. Normally Viktor wasn’t one to get aggravated at the idea of someone marveling over his various victories but this was something else entirely. They hadn’t shown much support in terms of his career before nor had they ever even called him up to congratulate him only for them to now make their presence more known. Thinking more on it the air that Viktor breathed hitched in his throat upon the realization that he had cleaned out a space for Yuuri to also set his own medals and certificates and not knowing what would be said he stood their quietly listening. The sound resonating from the room only seemed to grow the longer it went on and before he even realized it Yuuri was right beside him.

The younger had given him a worried look as he lightly placed a hand onto his arm. Shaking it off, Viktor went over to grab the meal that had finished in the microwave to hand it to Yuuri. With a small smile the plate was taken and both had made their way back over to the sitting area to take a seat beside one another.

 

___________________________

 

Only a couple of days had passed since Viktor’s parents had arrived and thankfully things seemed to be going fairly well (other than the constant questions involving Yuuri). It wasn’t like his parents were horrible as Viktor could confide in them when needed, but certain topics such as these were like treading on thin ice. In Russia there was a huge dislike for those of the same sex to be in a relationship and he had no doubt that his parents, or at least his mother, would be against such a thing. She had shown her distaste about the subject even when he was younger and he figured that nothing had really changed. Whereas his father would only tell her to give it a rest and go about his day. Regardless Viktor was forced to bite his tongue to keep a lid on his relationship out of the need to keep the unwanted attention away from Yuuri in terms of the subject. The last thing he wanted was for insults to be slung in his fiancé’s direction. This left him mulling it over that very first night on how he was going to handle things as he held Yuuri tightly in his arms while in the safety of their shared room with the door secured shut.

With Yuuri finally feeling better he was allowed to return to the rink and as they sat in the locker room he couldn’t help but throw concerned glances over towards Viktor who frustratedly laced up his skates. That morning had held more questions than necessary which happened to all be in Russian, though thankfully Yuuri was able to pick up on some of the more familiar words as he attempted to learn the language. It was obvious they were talking about him by the looks they would send his way as they ate their breakfast and he recognized the words “go home” just before Irina took a long sip of her coffee. There was no doubt Viktor was trying to hold himself together since then as the entire way to the rink the Russian apologized profusely for his parents actions. It was obvious how much strain there was within the household due to the Nikiforov’s coming to visit and Viktor could only hope that it wouldn’t distract them from practice.

“Hey.” Yuri greeted them in the same fashion as he always did upon arriving. Dropping his bag loudly onto the bench he moved to pull his own locker open before exchanging his leopard print sneakers for his own skates. From the looks of it the teen would be needing a new pair soon and a couple of weeks ago he had mentioned that his grandfather was planning on buying him a new pair as a gift later on in the season once he scavenged up enough money. Of course the blond could’ve bought his own but the elder had insisted and several times a week since then Yuri would go on about not being able to wait to get them. Either way he still seemed rather patient and went about his day as usual, which did include taking some playful jabs at the couple. “Normally I wouldn’t say I’m all that glad to see you here, katsudon, but thank god you are. I can’t take anymore of Viktor’s dramatical sighing and that stupid puppy dog look he gives whenever he talks about you. It makes me want to puke.”

“I can’t stand it when my Yuuri is sick! Just thinking about him being at home all alone and needing constant attention breaks my heart!” For a second the stress seemed to melt away as Viktor resumed his extra attitude with his hand resting against his heart and his face feigning sadness. Even the rest of his posture as he sat on the metal seat with one leg out and his free hand resting against his forehead as if he’d even faint was enough to cause a slight blush and chuckle from Yuuri. He didn’t want Viktor to make such a fuss over something as simple as being away because of a cold as they saw each other every day regardless, but he was glad that his fiancé was at least acting a bit more like himself for the moment. “I don’t know what I’d do without him! He needed me!”

“Yeah and you need some professional help.” Yuri rolled his eyes as he shoved his bag into his locker before practically slamming it shut. Heading out towards the door he spared one last look over his shoulder towards the two. “Now quit being gross and get your asses out onto the ice. I’ve improved a bit since the little piggy was here a few days ago and I’d like to show it off.”

Without waiting for an answer the teen was gone leaving the couple to sit there in silence. It seemed that the light atmosphere disappeared with the younger of the trio as Viktor pressed his lips tightly together while he stood.

“Is everything okay?” Yuuri questioned softly as he pushed himself up off of the bench to stand beside the other. Those chocolate brown eyes of his showed nothing but concern yet again, and in the same Viktor-like fashion a smile spread across his lips to mask his deeper feelings.

“Everything’s fine! Let’s get to work! We’ve got no time to waste!”

Watching Viktor leave the locker room Yuuri knew that it was a lie. Ever since he got to know Viktor it had become known that the champion didn’t like to show his shortcomings to anyone and as much as the Japanese male understood he wished that they could at least try to talk about it. All of the times that Viktor was there for him during his rough patches had him wanting to make it up to him. Still, he knew he could most likely jot down Viktor’s strange behavior as it being because of the unexpected visit from his folks which to some could be rather jarring. The exact reason why it was this way though he wasn’t sure but he hoped that one day Viktor would let him in just enough to tell him.

They both promised to meet the other halfway after all.


	3. ужин (Dinner)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh I apologize for being so slow! It's just I've mentally not been feeling all that great along with worrying about getting around to signing up for classes in the fall and getting a job, and then among other things. So it's just been a hectic couple of months. I'm gonna try and update with the next chapter hopefully in a week or two though!
> 
> Also, this chapter was originally gonna end differently (because Viktor and Yuuri like to stop my plans to take their own lead) and it's also almost double the length of the previous chapters. It is a lot of dialogue and I'm iffy about it in some places, but I hope everyone enjoys nonetheless!
> 
> Oh! And thank you all for your comments! The support means a lot to me knowing that people are interested in this fic! I'm also planning out a YOI AU that'll hopefully have the first chapter up in the next couple of weeks as well. That's for a different time and place though, so on with the story! Thanks again and enjoy!

Only a week had passed since the arrival of Viktor’s parents and in that short span of time it felt like seven days to long. Whenever the champion could avoid them he’d find some reason to drag Yuuri away from the house even though his fiancé was still feeling a bit under the weather from his fading cold. All he wanted to do was get away and though Viktor tried to hide it Yuuri knew better. Still, he wasn’t sure what to do as Viktor never acted like this. It was too out of character and it had the Japanese male on edge every time he watched Viktor make some excuse about why they couldn’t talk to the elder Nikiforov’s.

 

“Watch that leg, Yuuri.” Viktor called from the sidelines of the rink. The cold that surrounded them had the Russian’s features glowing a brighter shade of pink than they would outside, but that was something Yuuri loved about the man. As perfect as he may seem to some he had his quirks. How his nose was always a bit rosy, the way his eyes sparkled when excited, that heart-shaped smile that you would find impossible to do but somehow Viktor did it, his smooth voice and—“Yuuri! Are you listening to me?”

 

“What?” Finally snapping out of his thoughts he slowed down to bring chocolate hues towards his coach. Silver brows had themselves pulled together and even this was a different side of Viktor that he’s never seen. Despite what Yakov said Viktor was improving into a great coach and he was always doing his best as he knew just what to say in order to motivate Yuuri. Yet he never looked so stern like he did now. Almost like something was irritating him and it wasn’t Yuuri’s skating or potential sloppiness. What added to the thought that it was something more was that he was nitpicking every single detail even if it was almost a flawless execution. It concerned Yuuri more than anything and part of him wanted to express his concern, but how?

 

“You’re not listening to me. I knew you weren’t. I’ve only been telling you to watch that leg of yours for five minutes.” Viktor huffed as arms folded tightly across his chest causing his lean muscles to become a bit more noticeable through the dark shirt tightly clinging to his torso. “What are you thinking about?”

 

_You_. “Nothing in particular.” Yuuri turned his head towards the others on the Russian team as his cheeks brightened a tad more than they already were.

 

Letting out a sigh of frustration, Viktor leaned against the wall with his crossed arms resting on top of it. Something was definitely eating away at him and it hurt Yuuri to see it, so with a few seconds passing to let the color drain from his cheeks he began a slow glide over towards the edge of the ice. Once there he rested his hands gently onto Viktor’s arms only for the man in question to dip his head down not even daring to have their eyes meet. A sense of guilt had taken over just knowing that Yuuri was picking up on his sour mood and the last thing he wanted was for it to rub off on him.

 

“Viktor, what’s gotten into you? You’ve been acting weird all week and it’s only getting worse. Please. Just tell me what’s wrong.” Yuuri pleaded softly for only their ears to hear.

 

“I’m just tired.” Viktor lied smoothly as he finally rose his gaze to catch the other’s. Both had fallen silent for a moment before Yuuri’s shake of his head in response.

 

“I know that’s not it. I know you haven’t been sleeping well but I’ve seen you go for days on end with only a few hours before and you’d still act like someone gave you to much sugar.” Reaching for his hands Yuuri pressed their foreheads together as his voiced lowered another octave. “Please, just tell me what’s wrong. Let me help you.”

 

“I already told you nothing’s the matter.” Viktor did his best to lighten his tone only to press a chaste kiss onto his partner’s lips in an attempt to reassure him.

 

“You’re lying to me, Mr. Nikiforov.” Yuuri practically purred hoping it would somehow lure the answer from the Russian. “Now we can either do this the easy way or the hard way.”

 

“Ooohhh but you know I don’t go down so easily.” Viktor responded with a chuckle as a genuine grin spread across his face. Now this was the Viktor Yuuri knew and loved.

 

“Believe me, I know every way to make you say ‘vkusno’.”

 

“So bold, but you know me so well.”

 

“You gonna tell me then?” Yuuri smiled playfully knowing he has Viktor right where he wants him. He couldn’t deny that he felt a little horrible for trying to seduce his way to the answer but if this was the only way than so be it. Besides, Viktor would get this way sometimes when he wanted something so it was only fair.

 

“For a price.” It didn’t seem possible, but the grin on Viktor’s face had widened as he leaned in for another kiss. This one filled with more desire as Viktor grabbed at Yuuri’s arm to tug him closer. As usual Yuri could be heard in the background making gagging sounds out of disgust, but that’s not what broke their kiss. Yakov’s voice calling Viktor to the ice is what had them parting ways as it was time for Yuuri to get some water (and air back into his lungs) and for the champion to get started.

 

_______________________

 

It was reaching the end of Viktor’s program and the Russian was already tired, but he still had one jump left: his quad flip. He knew that it was difficult to put such a jump at the end when he was already breathing heavily but he knew that he had to do it for the points. With the music reaching it’s peak once again Viktor exited out of his spread eagle to begin his jump. Just like every time his blades left the ice it always brought on the risk of falling especially with how exhausted he was by this point in time but just like Yuuri and Yuri he was going to do his damn hardest to make sure that he stepped up his routine. Who knew if it’d be record breaking but he was going to reclaim his crown as it rested just against his fingertips all he had to do was—

 

Perfect! The landing was smooth despite the puff of air that was released upon impact.

 

With all eyes on Viktor as he began finishing off his program the sound of doors from the entrance of the rink went unheard by the whole team. The loud and fast paced music drowned out almost everything as their focus was trained and most of their breaths were held for their teammates. It wasn’t that they didn’t believe the gold medalist couldn’t do it, but with it being so long off the ice to compete, his age, and with the unexpected mood changes no one was sure how well he’d be able to pull it off today. So as he concluded they all clapped like they always had when one of their rink mates ended their routine, including Yuri as he stood by Mila while trying to hold her off as she went in for one of her ‘annoying’ hugs.

 

“Perfect, Vitya!” Yuuri shouted over the dying music as Viktor went into his finishing pose.

 

Heavy breaths rocked through Viktor’s body as hands rested themselves against his thighs. Allowing his head to lean forward as he pulled the cool air that surrounded him into his lungs silver locks had fallen in front of his eyes. If lungs could scream they’d be doing so right now, but as tired as he was he also felt powerful. He couldn’t wait to debut this performance in dedication to Yuuri at Europeans.

 

“You did well, but be careful. I could tell you had a chance of falling before you even took off from that jump despite how well you landed it. You don’t have as much stamina as—” Yakov was then cut off by a clearing of the throat causing every head to turn except Viktor’s as he continued to catch his breath.

 

“{I would’ve thought that he would’ve given up on this but I guess I was wrong.}” The familiar high pitched voice of Irina Nikiforov was what caused Viktor to finally look up with those deep blues of his going so wide you could’ve sworn they would’ve popped out of his head.

 

“{Now, now. We didn’t come here to criticize.}” Vitaly spoke up in an attempt to shush his wife.

 

“{I’d like to see you land a quad!}” Many eyes turned their focus onto Yuri now as he stepped in. Yuuri also had his focus trained on the blond even though he couldn’t quite figure out what was being said.

 

“{A quad?}” Irina raised a brow as she glanced at her husband and then right back to Yuri.

 

“{Yeah! Show them, Viktor!}” Yuri angrily spat. Whatever was going on Yuuri knew it wasn’t good as he too turned his attention to Viktor who had resumed that same agitated look like he had when Yuuri was doing his routine previously only now it was a lot more noticeable.

 

“{It doesn’t matter. You already know that, Yurio.}” The rise and fall of Viktor’s chest began to slow as he stayed right where he was in the center of the rink.

 

As the rink finally fell so silent that you could hear a pin drop the air became tense enough that if that alone could start a fire it would. Viktor’s own piercing gaze was forced straight onto the rough ice that needed to be smoothed back over. His parents were also sending disappointed gazes towards their son, in particular his mother. This bothered Yuuri further, but as he looked back over at Viktor again it was as if the previous mask that the Russian wore was never there. Instead it was one void of any emotion, but truthfully Viktor was panicking on the inside. Once again he could see the cogs in Yuuri’s mind turning out of worry for him and he wouldn’t have any of it. So instead of letting things go for longer than they did he made his way off the ice a little faster than he would on any normal day in order to release the tension as quickly as possible.

 

“{What do you need? I’m a little busy here.}” Viktor spoke as he began to put the skate guards back overtop of his golden blades.

 

“{We tried calling you on your cellphone but you weren’t picking up. Your mother and I were going to say that we’re going to have dinner together. All of us, and to clear your schedule beforehand since you always seem to have something to do.” His father spoke up quickly causing Irina to open and close her mouth like a fish.

 

“What are they saying?” Yuuri asked as he hated being out of the loop and at the question Viktor stiffened.

 

“They want to have dinner with us.” Viktor’s voice was quiet as he sent one quick look over towards Yuuri and then right back to his parents. “{I’m sorry but I’m going to have to decline. We have a lot of work to do and I can’t—}”

 

“{No excuses.}” Irina cut in with a wave of her gloved hand. “{With you there’s always an excuse ever since you were a child and I’m tired of it. We’ll be waiting and you’re coming.}”

 

Watching them walk away without another word left Viktor internally fuming. His jaw became taut and his hands had balled into fists without his consent.

 

“Viktor?” Yuuri coughed as the last remnants of his cold once again clawed at his throat. “Are you okay?”

 

“I need to use the bathroom.” Without another word the Russian started a quick pace across the carpeted room towards the closest bathroom leaving the rest of his team and student to stand there silently. Once the door to the bathroom was shut and Viktor was completely out of earshot, Yuuri turned right to Yuri who was now standing beside him with his own arms crossed. It was obvious the young teen was also angry, but when wasn’t he?

 

“What were they talking about?” Yuuri asked softly as if he was scared to hear the answer, but really he didn’t want anyone else butting in.

 

At first Yuri said nothing. The thin line that his lips were pressed into made no effort to move as he brought bright greens to meet Yuuri’s gaze. It was almost like the blond was debating whether or not it was his right to say something which was odd because he normally took the chance to say whatever was on his mind. The fact that he was holding back only made Yuuri’s stomach churn and the thought of not knowing what made his fiancé react so badly and made Yuri so quiet caused him to feel a bit nauseous. Whether the urge was as strong as it was because of his worry or the cold he had suffered through he wasn’t sure, but what he did know was that he needed answers.

 

“Yakov?” Yuuri turned towards the Russian coach with fear looming into his eyes now hoping to get some sort of a response, but all he got was a shake of the man’s head.

 

“I think you should go to him.” Georgi spoke up from his spot beside Yakov. Never once had Yuuri seen the whole team so shaken like this causing that seed of worry inside of him to grow as he looked over towards the bathroom hesitantly. Would Viktor just tell him he was fine like he always did or would he accept him to finally meet him in the middle for this?

 

_______________________

 

Hands gripped either side of the sink causing his already pale skin to turn even whiter at the knuckles as various emotions seemed to try attacking him all at once. The biggest ones were anger and horror. Part of him couldn’t even begin to process what Yuuri would think about what his parents had said. It made him look like a fool in front of his own fiancé even if the man couldn’t fully understand the conversation. Just the effect that it brought down onto the champion alone and how he responded to it was enough of an embarrassment. Then the other half of him was seething with rage that his parents even dared to try something like this at a place that Viktor had come to know as a safe haven for so long.

 

The ice was like a beacon that no matter who he was, with or without his titles, and what point in his life he was in it was always going to be there for him. Hell, he even considered helping Yakov with his skaters once he officially retired because as much as he would one day stop competing he couldn’t fully pull himself apart from the place that gave him so many opportunities. You could never forget your roots.

 

Grinding his teeth, Viktor moved his now shaking hand to start running the water into the metallic basin before splashing the cold liquid onto his face as if it’d wake him up from this nightmare or at the very least bring back some peace. He loved his parents, oh god he did, but when it came to some very specific things it seemed like they couldn’t help but become aggravating to him. Their stance on certain topics were very clear, and have been since he was very young, and even time didn’t allow those to change. How he wished that they could be accepting like the Katsuki’s. In everything that Yuuri did they were supportive and encouraging. Even how easily they allowed him into their home as if he was apart of their family already made him feel more welcome than he could’ve imagined. If only they could’ve stayed in Japan, but that was impossible if Viktor were to train Yuuri and himself under Yakov for the upcoming competitive season.

 

Looking up at the mirror to watch himself he focused on the water that began to drip down his features. How it ran down his thin hair either back into the sink or tried to frame his twisted expression. His lips were curled back slightly over his teeth and even his eyes looked like those of a stranger. It was almost terrifying seeing such a reaction as he wasn’t easily angered and even if he was it didn’t deserve to sit upon his features like this. Maybe it was like a mask and he could remove it. Hell, he had to. Yuuri didn’t need to see him like this. Pulling in a deep breath with enough force to cause his bangs to fan away from his face for just a moment he splashed another handful of water onto his skin before turning it off. Reaching out for one of the paper towels located in the basket on the counter he began to pat himself dry. Once he was just about done a timid knock sounded on the opposite side of the door. It wasn’t like whoever it was couldn’t just walk in as it was a public bathroom with many stalls but from the sounds of it, it was definitely Yuuri. He knew how his fiancé could get and despite unlocking that sexy side of him it still hadn’t changed him, and Viktor adored that so much.

 

“Viktor?” Yuuri’s voice came out softly as he pressed his ear to the wooden door as if he’d miss a response. “Hey, is it okay if I can come in?”

 

Before Yuuri could enter Viktor was at the door in a few good strides to pull it open making the Japanese man practically fall into his chest with a gasp causing the older to laugh. “You’re so cute, Yuuri! Of course you can come in it’s a public bathroom, my love!” Just like he had concluded before he tried to remove that mask, but as much as he tried Yuuri knew better and wasn’t going to just let the events from a few minutes ago slide so easily.

 

“A-Are you okay?” Now those puppy dog eyes were looking up at Viktor out of worry and it made the Russian’s heart pang with guilt. Yuuri didn’t need to see all of this.

 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Viktor let out a forced content sigh at the end which had Yuuri’s brows pushing themselves together.

 

Without responding, Yuuri stood up straighter in order to push Viktor inside a bit further so he could close the door behind him to keep out prying eyes as he could already feel them on his back. The stern expression that now crossed his face had Viktor’s smile faltering and Yuuri knew that he had him right where he wanted him yet again. He knew that sometimes he had to play dirty to get him talking. “Because I know my soon-to-be-husband and apparently he thinks I’m to stupid to notice when something’s wrong.”

 

“What?! No! I don’t think you’re stupid at all!” Viktor shot his hands up in defense as his heart began thudding wildly in his chest.

 

“Then why aren’t you telling me?”

 

“I just—I don’t want—I can’t—” Bringing his gaze down Viktor had no idea what he was trying to say especially since Yuuri was coming closer causing his back to brush against the tiled wall behind him.

 

“You can’t what? Come on, Vitya. Talk to me.” Yuuri placed a hand gently on his arm to rub soothing circles onto the champion’s skin with his thumb. “I’ve told you just about everything about me. Meet me halfway. Let me help you for a change instead of hiding. Keep that promise we made on the beach in Hasetsu last year.”

 

Swallowing so loud Viktor could swear that the whole team would be able to hear it all the way from the opposite side of the building he still couldn’t bring himself to look up at Yuuri. The last person he wanted to ever disappoint was the man before him and he knew it was wrong of him to let the promise be one-sided so with that he gave a slow nod of his head. Whatever was to be said next Yuuri knew he had to be patient. He knew that Viktor wasn’t always the emotional sort as he seemed to keep that locked away for his downtime and even then he wasn’t always one to share it. So instead Yuuri stood there silently as he waited and listened with his hand beginning to run up and down the other’s arm encouragingly.

 

“What my parents said…it made me so angry. I may have a lot of fans but I also have haters. So I’m no stranger to seeing or hearing bad things being said about me just because of who I am, but when they say something it’s different.” Feeling his eyes become all glassy with tears as a stray one began to run down his cheek with a single blink he ran the heel of his palm along it to scrub it away. “I don’t hate them but—but I just wish they’d stop. I don’t want you to be affected by them or to see me like this…It’s not fair to you. You deserve better.”

 

Feeling his own heart break, Yuuri wrapped his arms snuggly around Viktor’s middle as he carefully brought them to the ground. With one hand he pressed it against the back of Viktor’s head in order to bring him to his shoulder and the other began running along his spine out of the need to comfort. As strange as it was for Viktor to open up in a bathroom of all places Yuuri wouldn’t have it any other way as they were still alone. Both of them were able to come together like they always did and he knew that despite what his fiancé felt they’d get out of this stronger just like the times before this.

 

“You’ve seen my struggles and I always thought you never needed to see that either, but if there’s anything I’ve learned from you in the year that I’ve known you it’s that your weaknesses can become your strengths. You just gotta keep getting up again. Besides, I wouldn’t want things to be any different than they are.” Yuuri whispered before pressing a delicate kiss to the other’s silver hair.

 

“But you don’t have to see all of this…” Viktor was practically sobbing into the fabric of Yuuri’s shirt as he buried his face into the younger’s neck.

 

“We may not be married but we’re still a team. Not just a coach and student, but partners. We’re gonna make vows one day. You’ve even said you’re gonna put ‘I love you’ in there as many times as you can just to prove their worth.” Letting out a chuckle Yuuri continued. “But you don’t have to prove anything because I already know. We’ve gone through so much and this is just another bridge to cross but we’ll make it out alright.”

 

“You sound like a mother.” Viktor teased through his tears as his body slowly began to relax. It was odd after spending all this time trying to protect Yuuri through it all only to realize that he needed this so much for himself too. How did he get so lucky?

 

“I get it from my mom.” Yuuri smiled proudly as Viktor let out a soft ‘hmmm’. “Now, let me be here for you too, okay? We’re gonna figure this out together, alright? You’re not alone and I love you. Even when you act like a diva.”

 

“I love you too.” Sniffing, Viktor raised his head allowing Yuuri to wipe the remaining tears away and finally Viktor’s genuine smile returned before snuggling back into the comfy hold. “My Yuuri.”

 

____________________________

 

Thankfully the trip to the restaurant was a peaceful one. The elder Nikiforov’s had left saying that they were going to go save a table and informed Yakov on where they were heading to tell the couple to meet them. This allowed Viktor and Yuuri to take their time getting there. Sitting in the back seat of a cab the pair leaned against one another. The rumble of the engine and Yuuri’s quiet breathing was enough to keep Viktor’s nerves calm the closer they got to the location. It was only when they stepped out of the car did the Russian’s heart start racing again. Sensing the tension Yuuri’s hand immediately found Viktor’s and with the confidence returning they both walked inside. Both searched for the table and upon laying eyes on it Viktor gulped.

 

“It’s okay, Viktor. We’re gonna get through this together.” Yuuri whispered. He tried to sound strong for his fiancé but he couldn’t deny that even he was a little nervous, but he needed to keep his calm for Viktor’s sake. So he did the best he could in holding it, and maybe with his chest puffed out a bit more than necessary, as they headed over towards the table.

 

Reaching their seats it was painfully obvious that Viktor’s parents were staring at their interlocked hands, but Viktor wouldn’t dare let go. Yuuri’s hand was his lifeline right now for without it he felt like he’d drown.

 

Sliding into the booth, Yuuri took the window seat allowing Viktor to sit on the outside for an easy escape if needed. Both men gave a gentle squeeze to their hands as a waitress came by to set menus in front of them with a smile.

 

“{I’ll be right back to take your orders.}” She smiled before walking away.

 

“{Thank you.}” Yuuri’s voice tumbled out. Thankfully he and Viktor had eaten out enough times to recognize the words and considering Viktor was too frozen in his seat he figured he ought to speak.

 

The tension at the table was suffocating. It was almost as if the atmosphere was completely different from the rest of the restaurant. Many of the tables were filled with people chatting as they ate or waited for their orders to arrive to their respective tables. Several waiters danced around the tables to deliver their services and even the manager could be seen making his rounds to ensure they were all getting the best service possible. Even the joint itself was upbeat. Some of the lights were colorful against the brick walls illuminating them to shades of blues, pinks, and greens. Pictures of various famous people even lined the walls and several bottles of various types of alcohol sat behind the bar. If anything it could almost be mistaken for a club especially with how many people around Yuuri’s age there seemed to be. It made him wonder why of all places the Nikiforov’s would pick here, but he didn’t question it as his eyes zeroed in on the menu before him.

 

“Anything look interesting?” Yuuri’s voice was small as he glanced over towards Viktor who sat there with his eyes glued to the table. His face looked like a blank canvas but his eyes gave away how miserable he was and he would’ve missed it behind the silver bangs if the air hadn’t kicked on around them.

 

“If only they had katsudon.” Viktor smiled sadly before inching his free hand towards the menu. “Hiroko makes the best food.”

 

The words caused a giggle to rumble in Yuuri’s throat before giving Viktor’s hand another squeeze. “You’ll get to have it again soon. Just be patient.”

 

For the longest time this was how their meal passed. Viktor and Yuuri quietly exchanged words as the parents remained silent while sparing glances at the couple every few seconds. The couple tried to ignore it as best as they could, but with every bite of food and sip of his drink Viktor felt like puking. He wished that they would just say something instead of grunt if asked a question, but as soon as he wanted it he regretted the thought instantly.

 

“{So how much longer is your…friend…staying in your apartment}?” The look Irina threw towards Yuuri was icy and it immediately returned Viktor’s mood to a sour one.

 

“{For as long as he would like.}” Viktor snapped back as he gripped the cold glass in his hand.

 

“{He can stay in a hotel, can’t he?}” His mother pursed her lips as her gaze moved back towards Viktor.

 

“{Irina, calm yourself. Hotels are expensive for extensive stays.}” Vitaly huffed as he wiped his mouth off with a napkin.

 

“{Viktor has money, doesn’t he? I would hope so with all of those awards or he’s just been wasting his time.}” She countered as her hands folded neatly onto the table. “{He could’ve been a productive citizen of society with children instead of playing around as a…what did he used to call it when he was younger?}”

 

“What’re they saying?” Yuuri asked cautiously as brown eyes turned back towards Viktor, but instead of getting a response his fiancé’s face was downcast looking angered and embarrassed with the red that painted his cheeks. It left the Japanese man confused and worried all the same as he only was able to pick up bits and pieces of what was said, but he tried his best as he watched them all anyway.

 

“{An ice something.}” Vitaly murmured as he sat back on the bench. “{Ice…Ice Princess. That’s it! It was something in a school play from when he was younger or something he played with that one kid a lot. Davian was his name I think. What ever happened to him? He was a nice young man.}”

 

The table grew silent again and all eyes were on Viktor. Swallowing loudly, the champion gripped at Yuuri’s hand as if it’d lead him out of this situation, but all it did was cause Yuuri to yelp a little out of pain bringing Viktor back to reality as he mouthed an apology that was barely seen.

 

“{What silly fantasies you two had as children.}” Irina finally broke the silence as she sipped at her water. “{Rather horrible ones at that. Especially when you decided to grow out that hair of yours. You looked like such a girl everyone kept commenting on how I had such a beautiful daughter. It was embarrassing. I blame Davian for ever showing you that magazine.}”

 

“{I heard that he turned out to be gay.}” Vitaly gave the couple across from him a quick glance before returning his gaze back over towards his wife. “{Shame really. He had a beautiful girlfriend for awhile. Would’ve thought they could get married one day and have beautiful children.}”

 

“{Instead he threw his life away at something that would discontinue his family’s lineage. How selfish.}” Her eyes were now right on her son. If looks could kill Viktor would definitely be dead on the floor as he felt the stare burning holes right through him. Shifting uncomfortably, angrily, and upset in his seat he began to stand up. His hand had finally released Yuuri’s as he dug through his pocket with a purpose.

 

Snatching his wallet out from where it sat he pulled out a crisp looking ruble to pay off more than what the dinner cost before tossing it down onto the table. His words were full of hurt and sarcasm as he eyed the elders. “{I don’t think I have enough to pay. Mind paying the tip for me?}”

 

With that Viktor was walking off leaving Yuuri to sit there with his mind in a state of anxiety. What had just happened? Before anything else could be said Yuuri was scrambling to pull himself free of the booth so he could run after his retreating fiancé leaving the parents to sit there with scowls on their faces.

 

______________________________

 

“Viktor, wait!” Yuuri called after the other as he tried to catch up, but at this point Viktor was sprinting down the street as quickly as he could. It was obvious Viktor’s fight or flight instincts were kicking in as he spared no time in doing his best to get away. No one knew that more than Yuuri. To hide when things felt so hard like you couldn’t breathe, but it also made Yuuri feel like he needed to get to him faster.

 

The roads were slippery with the snow and ice that covered the ground. Cold air wasted no time in nipping at Yuuri’s exposed skin as he slid and pushed passed the oncoming crowd of people being released from their work to head home for the night. It made trying to find Viktor almost impossible making panic rise in him, but catching the movement of that familiar silver hair had his mind back in focus. Making his way through the sea of people he continued to shout the Russian’s name at the top of his lungs but never once did he get a response. So he continued to push on with his lungs heaving and his legs aching.

 

“Vik— _oof!_ ” Yuuri had fallen onto his back on the ice covered sidewalk in his haste as well as another pedestrian accidentally running into him. With a groan he went to sit back up as his butt began to freeze against the icy surface that he was currently sitting on. Regaining his bearings he rose onto his feet moments later to brush away the snow that clung to his pants only to remember that Viktor had run off. Frantically his eyes began to search again but this time there was no sight of the beautiful silver or the comforting look of ocean blues. Instead Yuuri was alone in the cold shivering as his body fought to regain its warmth.

 

An idea had then popped into his head as he reached for his cellphone and he was immediately dialing that familiar number. Pressing it to his reddening ear he waited and listened as it rung.

 

_Ring ring. Ring ring. Ring ring. Ring ring. Ring ring._

 

_Hello! You’ve reached Viktor Nikiforov, aka Yuuri’s fiancé! I’m probably busy eating katsudon, so leave me a message and I’ll get back to you soon!_

 

_Beep._

 

Tears began welling up in Yuuri’s eyes as he was now shaking from more than just the cold. “V-Viktor…it’s me Yuuri…Please pick up.” Now he was sniffling. “Call me back. Let me come get you. Or come back home…Just let me know you’re safe.”

 

Finishing off the call he stuffed the phone back into his pocket as he let out a puff of air which misted out across his face in the winter air. As much as he wanted to believe that Viktor would be okay he couldn’t. The anxiety became more prominent knowing that Viktor needed him and now he was out here somewhere being completely unreachable.

 

_Be strong, Yuuri._ He told himself before bolting back off down the street as the world seemed to grow a bit darker from the sun setting and the fear that gripped at him. _Just hang on, Viktor. I’m coming._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully everyone enjoyed! If anyone wants to chat (or yell at me to get a move on xD but be gentle please) I'm also RussetHunter on Tumblr!


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